The development of Porsche’s iconic Carrera GT can be traced all the way back to its predecessors, both racing-only models run at LeMans during the 1990s. Due in part to both the FIA and ACO rule changes in 1998, the 911 GT1 and LMP1-98 met the end of their useful lives. At the time, Porsche had planned a new Le Mans prototype for 1999 that was initially intended to use a turbocharged flat-six engine, but the car was later redesigned to use a new V-10 that pushed the project back a year further to completion during 2000. The V-10 in question was a unit built in secret by Porsche for the Footwork Formula One team in 1992 and was later shelved. This same engine was resurrected for the Le Mans prototype and increased in displacement to 5.7 liters.

Unfortunately, the project was canceled after two days of the first car’s testing in mid-1999, mostly due to Porsche’s wish to build the Cayenne SUV with involvement from Volkswagen and Audi. This project required the necessary engineering expertise to be pulled from Porsche’s Motorsports division, but it was also speculated that Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch wanted Audi’s new Le Mans Prototype, the Audi R8, not to face competition from Porsche during 2004. Porsche did keep part of the project alive by using the V-10, this time a 5.5 liter, from the prototype in a concept car shown at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show, mainly in an attempt to draw attention to their display.

Surprising interest in this show car as well as a collateral influx of revenue provided from the Cayenne helped Porsche decide to produce their supercar after all. Development started on a street-legal version that would be produced in small numbers at Porsche’s new manufacturing facility in Leipzig. The first Carrera GT left this production line in 2004 as Porsche shipped the initial units with a staggering suggested retail price of $440,000 – and a dealer invoice price of approximately $414,800. Porsche’s delivery charge further cut into dealer incentives and the marginal holdback discounts they could offer, as this alone could be as much as $5,000 USD.

The first Carrera GT went on sale in the US on January 31, 2004. Originally, a production run of 1,500 cars was planned over three years; however Porsche announced in August of 2005 that it would not continue production of the Carrera GT through 2006. Their reason for discontinuation was supposedly in part due to changing airbag regulations in the USA. As a result, 1,270 GTs in total were been manufactured, with 604 examples sold in the United States.

Finished in silver over a black interior, this rare 2005 Porsche Carrera GT is above and beyond the car that left the dealer’s showroom. The ultimate German supercar of the decade, it is equipped with EVOMSit software and straight pipes that give this car amazing acceleration and 680 brake horsepower. Inside, the enthusiast driver will find OEM Racing seatbelts and harnesses, a Sharkwers fire system, tinted side windows, a carbon-fiber thick-grip steering wheel and shift knob, custom iPod integration, a hard-wired Valentine One radar detector installation and more. Additional accesorization includes custom carbon fiber intake covers, rock panel guards and black factory Porsche accessory alloy wheels.

This car is already an incredible value without all the custom upgrades and performance features, but tuned to this degree, it stands alone among the few examples even remotely like it that are currently on the market.

"The selection at Russo & Steele auctions is so great, you never know what might surprise you. However diverse the selection is, you can count on all of Russo & Steele’s offerings to be top-quality."

- Old Cars Weekly

"Russo and Steele’s “auction in the round” format offers bidders and spectators the chance to get up close and personal with cars as they are crossing the block. It’s thrilling to be right in the midst of such a theatrical, high-energy production."

- Sports Car Market

"Russo and Steele is an essential experience. There is nothing else like it: theater in the round with cars and emotions at center stage."